Legends of Amacia Return of the Beowulf

Arogoth of the Dark Legions

An hour after warning the US President in Mt. Weather, the dark man in the white suit known as Surtur stood in the secret chamber below the library in Venice. Being the same place Hades and Zeus summoned Dezarcus a month before, Surtur knew the location to be a power spot that allowed contact with other dimensions. Twenty feet away, a fire blazed in the giant fireplace. The arcane symbols surrounding the fireplace glowed like molten metal while the fire blazed bluish-white in supernatural intensity. An ominous silence filled the chamber as Surtur gazed into fire, preparing himself while standing inside a pentagram of salt with candles burning on each point. He then uttered a guttural arcane chant older than human history itself, holding out his hands with his palms to the fire. The fire responded; flaring wildly as a monstrous form appeared in the flames. “Arogoth saritas ceti undar set,” Surtur chanted menacingly, “Undar carina xeritar comitarius set Arogoth. Come forth, Arogoth.” The salt pentagram around him blazed bright yellow as a burning hexagram in a circle appeared vertically across the mouth of the fireplace stretching out to include the arcane symbols surrounding the fireplace.

The monstrous form in the fire became an enormous reptilian head as it stopped just at the hexagram. It resembled an Ultrasaurus head with nine insectoid eyes, ten-inch serrated teeth, and a crest of red horns. Draken-like scales covered the head, which also had a scorpion-like mandible attached to the jaw. Strange reddish markings covered the upper head of the beast, but it didn’t have the skull-like features of a Grimm. “Who dares to summon General Arogoth, commander of the Dark Legions of the most Ancient Darkness? I will have your soul for this intrusion, human!” the creature roared, truly angered at being summoned.

“I think not, General Arogoth,” Surtur growled. “You have no power here while you remain locked behind the hex gate. I’m not stupid enough to summon you here without taking all precautions.”

“Who do you think you are, you pestilent human worm?” Arogoth snarled, drool dripping from his giant maw. “I don’t take orders from human maggots. I eat them and their souls.”

“I am no mere human germ you can intimidate,” Surtur snapped viciously, fire dancing in his eyes. “I am Surtur of Crematoria. You will do as I say or I will burn you to ashes along with your entire brood.”

“Surtur of Crematoria,” Arogoth replied darkly. “I have heard of you and know of your power. Every beast of the most Ancient Darkness knows of the Lord of Crematoria and his power to incinerate worlds. But you have limited your power by taking on human form. What do you want, human germ?”

“Intelligence; are you aware of what’s taking place in Amacia?” Surtur asked.

“We are,” Arogoth answered ominously. “And it concerns us. This war between Beowulf and the Emperor is about to get very ugly. Not only is the Beowulf awakening to his power, the Ancient of Days prepares to open the grave of Amacia to purge the Darkness and the Emperor from your dimension. Even worse, the Emperor’s mining of FATE has caused it to awaken. Should FATE fully awaken, it will assimilate all it touches whether it be of the Darkness or Light. You know this to be true since it once assimilated you. That fell machine should be left alone. The Black Prince and Emperor play with fire by mining that infernal AI for its tech.”

“I agree,” Surtur replied. “He should not be intruding on FATE inside its dimensional rip, but he has. As a result, he’s set into motion forces that cannot be stopped. Therefore, we must adapt our plans to fit.”

“Just what do you want?” Arogoth growled. “We of the most Ancient Darkness know the fight between the Emperor and Beowulf cannot be avoided. In fact, we welcome it. The Black Prince and the Emperor are acting on their own, and not by any orders from the Dark Lords. It’s been going on for eons and has now jeopardized what we’re trying to accomplish here; something he’s fully aware of. The Dark Lords have ordered us to stand back and let them fight. We’re not to become involved in this contest.”

“So, they’re going to sacrifice the Emperor again,” Surtur declared.

“Yes,” Arogoth hissed hatefully. “And this time, it will be permanent. His ambition has become a liability that must be purged from the multiverse. The Black Prince has sat on his throne long enough. It’s time someone more capable takes control. If he’s allowed to finish what he started, the planet will be demolished and we’ll never be able to open the Nexus.”

“Ah, I see the game now,” Surtur crowed. “But you do realize that this Beowulf is different from the last one, don’t you?”

“He’s just a pestilent human ape, like you,” Arogoth snarled. “He may be a match for the Emperor, but he’s no chance against us. We will consume him and the rest of your species as we open the Nexus.”

“I don’t know about that,” Surtur replied. “This Caverias is different. He’s a completed soul. Furthermore, he has the blood and spirit of Ragnar Omicron Caverias on him. He is not to be underestimated. Should he find the Bane, or even the Ragnaros, he may become an unstoppable power of Light; a supernova of light in the darkness we’re trying to create. We cannot allow this to happen.”

“It makes no difference whether he finds the Bane or the Ragnaros,” Arogoth sneered. “Those ancient weapons will not help him since he was once one of us. Besides, once Lord Grimm returns, this Beowulf will die, and with him, the rest of his abominable pestilent species. It’s his destiny.”

“So, Lord Grimm is coming back?” Surtur queried with a raised eyebrow. “When is this to occur?”

“Soon enough, human germ,” Arogoth answered with a wicked smile. “When Lord Grimm returns, no human...not even you will be able to stand against him. There will be no repeat of the last time. Lord Grimm will wipe the Caverias line out forever before he opens the Nexus. After the Nexus is opened, he will consume this planet along with every living soul, Old One, and Etherian before destroying it completely. So you see; your species is doomed, as is your planet. Not even the Ancient of Days will prevent it. Lord Grimm will unleash the ultimate paradox, smashing time and space to pieces that will fall into the Void of Chaos. It’s unavoidable. It’s Destiny and Fate. This universe too will be sucked into the Void and there’s nothing anyone can do about it, not you, not the Dark Gods, not even Beowulf, or the Almighty Ancient of Days. When Lord Grimm comes, your universe will end forever.”

Surtur’s face darkened with Arogoth’s ominous prophecy. “I see,” Surtur murmured, rubbing his chin. “Interesting; but what do you plan to do after the fight between the Emperor and Beowulf is decided? What if Beowulf wins?”

“Makes no difference who wins,” Arogoth snarled. “We will overrun the winner and take their souls along with this planet. Once these human germs are eradicated, we shall open the Nexus so Lord Grimm can feast. It’s foreordained. It’s Destiny. None can alter the will of Destiny and Fate. In fact, when the time comes, I will eat you personally for having summoned me like this. Your power as Lord of Crematoria will be mine.”

Surtur smiled wickedly, seeing the challenge. “You are welcome to try, General Arogoth,” he crowed ominously. “This should prove to be quite an amusing game indeed. I look forward to seeing how this will play out. The great players are moving into position to vie for the ultimate prize. Thank you for sharing what the most Ancient Darkness is planning. Now I can position myself for this game. But let me give you a word of caution. Do not underestimate the Beowulf. His destiny and fate remains clouded in mystery. Powers higher than you or I are concealing his destiny from everyone, including him. If you wait until he discovers his destiny, it may be too late to checkmate him. He must die before he solves the riddle of his existence. I shall do what I can to impede him. FATE itself has revealed this to me, so approach Beowulf with extreme caution. I suggest you confer with your colleagues and make a plan to deal with him. The odds that he will prevail over the Emperor grow every hour and with every strike he makes against him.”

“Is that so,” Arogoth replied venomously. “We shall take it under advisement since you claim FATE gave you this information. In the meantime, watch your step, Surtur of Crematoria. Your human form and love for challenges make you vulnerable. Keep all your eyes open for anything can happen in the infinite complexity of this multiverse. One misstep can be lethal. It would be a shame if you fell through a portal into our reality, wouldn’t it?”

Surtur’s face darkened with the threat. “Your threats mean nothing to me, General,” he snapped viciously. “You have given me what I need to know, so get thee hence back into your reality.” He smacked his right fist into his left palm and his eyes glowed while a white aura swirled around him. Keep his right fist at chest level, Surtur raised his left hand with the index and middle fingers extended vertically, making a slashing motion downward in front of him while chanting, “Sera coria septa undar Arogoth set undar comora si.” He abruptly pointed to the hexagram gateway holding Arogoth back with his left index and middle fingers extended. “Belialia gerax undar Arogoth set undar fieray gex,” he chanted, pointing at the hex gate. The white aura flew from his finger to the gate, covering it with a brilliant white light. Within two seconds, the hex gate started shrinking, collapsing into the raging fire in the fireplace.

“I’ll get you for this, Surtur of Crematoria,” Arogoth roared, backing away from the gate into the fire. “No one does this to me and gets away with it. Next time we meet, you will not have the hex and star gates to protect you. Then I will take great pleasure in stripping your flesh and soul from your pestilent carcass.” He fled the light and the flaming hex gate as it closed, vanishing into the fireplace from whence it came.

“You are welcome to try, General Arogoth of the Dark Legions,” Surtur cackled, watching the fire in the fireplace abruptly go out. The symbols around the fireplace stopped glowing and the pentagram he stood in vanished. A sigh escaped his lips as Surtur pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. “It seems the time has finally come for us to finish the game we started so long ago. I must prepare myself. This is going to be fun.” With that, the dark man in white known as Surtur walked out, passing the thirteen thrones surrounding the obsidian altar sitting on a platform of human skulls cemented together with pure gold. As he closed the ornate mahogany doors behind him, he saw Lord Hades’ old bodyguard Clarence waiting for him by the elevator doors.

“What’s the word, boss?” Clarence asked.

“The game is definitely afoot,” Surtur replied. “The contest between the Emperor and Beowulf has attracted the attention of even the Lords of the most Ancient Darkness. This game has gotten much more interesting. Come, we have much work to do, Clarence.”

“Yes, sir,” Clarence replied, following Surtur to the elevator and then out of the library.